It was, to that point, standard stuff if you ignored the fact it was happening in California.

Then Scott handed it to brother Rob.

As the Cup, the first ever won by an NHL West Coast team, was passed from player to player here last night, every touch became a story.

The Niedermayers became the first brothers since Brent and Duane Sutter in 1983 to win it together.

The winner of everything there is to win in hockey, from Olympic gold to world championships, World Juniors, Canada Cups and World Cups, Scott Niedermayer won something he's never won before - the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP this night.

But then NHL commissioner Gary Bettman handed him the big silver trophy, his fourth, the most by any active NHL player.

He passed it to Rob to carry for the first time in his career as mother Carol, who watched them play a final against each other in 2003, could feel great for them both.

PRONGER NOW A WINNER

Chris Pronger was next, losing last year's final in the seventh game with the Edmonton Oilers and returning to win it in five with the Anaheim Ducks this year.

Then Teemu Selanne, in his 15th year, who came back to resume his role as the face of the franchise and to finally win the Cup.

And so it went as they passed the famed trophy around. Todd Marchant. Sean O'Donnell. Brad May ...

But starting it with your brother?

"It makes it pretty special," said Scott.

"You can't even dream of passing it to your brother. I never have. To be able to do that was the highlight of my career.

"I'm new to this, too. I didn't know what I was going to do. I was trying to concentrate on the game today, not think of what I'd do if we won the Cup tonight. Rob's an assistant captain. But I thought I'd use my seniority to do that."

Niedermayer said watching guys like Selanne and Marchant, 14 and 15 year veterans, finally win one gave him a fuzzy wuzzy feeling and when it was time for the young guns to take their turn he couldn't help but think of his first one.

"I can't believe how fortunate I've been to poke my nose in the right door. I remember what it was like when I first won it. I've done more than ever thought. I've been very fortunate."

There was little fortunate about what happened here despite an abundance of goofy goals. The Anaheim Ducks dominated.

"I thought the exclamation point for our group was that we only allowed 13 shots," said coach Randy Carlyle of closing a fourth straight series in the initial opportunity.

Say what you will about the Ottawa run this year, after the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers went to Game 7 of the final the past two playoff seasons, the Senators proved to be a large letdown to the hockey nation which hasn't won a Stanley Cup since 1993.

And now Tampa Bay, Carolina and Anaheim have won the last three?

This wasn't much of a series. If it hadn't been for bounces and that ridiculous situation of having only four skaters on the ice instead of five in Game 3, you could make the case that this should have been an Anaheim sweep.

ANTI-CLIMACTIC SERIES

Unlike the Ducks' Game 6 win over Detroit and a third period which Selanne said caused him to be "the most nervous I've been in my life", the end to this series was anticlimactic.

A 6-2 loss to put it away is not exactly the way you want to go away if you're Canada's Team.

Calgary and Edmonton lost those Game 7s by scores of 2-1 and 3-1, respectively.

But welcome to the club.

Minnesota and Vancouver were neutered by the Ducks the same way. Only the Detroit Red Wings managed to win more than a game against Anaheim.

Let the debate also begin on what the first Stanley Cup won by a West Coast team in the modern era - the first since the Victoria Cougars in 1925 - will mean to hockey in California.

"I think they're going to have a lot of fun with this," predicted Scott Niedermayer.